5 Things You Can Think About Instead Of Your Non-Existent Lovelife

Good choice, man. 

Higher Education. Nothing can take away every bad thought about dying alone as a cat lady better than a thick pile of reading materials and pending papers and reports. Think about pursuing a post-collegiate education. Or at the very least, ponder on the idea of pursuing it. Is that really what you want regardless of whether or not everyone else seems to be going back to school? Can you handle a full-time job and school at the same time? Going back to school may mean less time for everything else that's going on in your life. But on the up side, getting another degree can land you a better job 2-3 years from now. Think about it.

Business Ventures. If you can't have success in the love department, pine for financial success instead. Money may not buy you happiness (in the truest sense of the word), but it sure can buy a crapload of distractions. There's nothing wrong with wanting to add some hard-earned cash into your bank account. The more, the money-er! But let's not discount that having a business is a great learning experience, too.

Hobbies. Everybody needs something that they enjoy doing. Otherwise, the world would be a bleak, boring, meaningless life. That's where hobbies come it. They must serve as bearers of sunshine and fun and meaning. Whether it be something fun and dynamic like Ultimate Frisbee or something more subdued like baking cookies, or sitting down to a good book, what's important about having a hobby is that you like it. Think about the things that you like to do and imagine what you'd like to do with that in the years to come. Who knows? Maybe that hobby could turn out to be a lifelong passion.

Your Job. An important thing that you should think about to begin with since, well, it keeps you alive. But consider why it's an important thing to think about. What was it that Lady Gaga said about a career?

"Some women choose to follow men, and some women choose to follow their dreams. If you're wondering which way to go, remember that your career will never wake up and tell you that it doesn't love you anymore."

Thank you, Lady Gaga. Point taken. For some people (like me), thinking about a successful career is more difficult and nerve-wracking than anything else, which is probably an even better reason why you should spend more time using your brainwaves for that.

Your friends' love lives. If you can't have your own love life, live vicariously through theirs. Most likely, if they're not sharing their lovey dovey evening plans with you, they're asking you advice about disagreements they've had with their significant other. That will probably be the only time you'll feel good that you're single because you don't have to deal with the drama. But you can generously lend an ear and offer words of wisdom (that you've carefully thought about, of course).

Spice Girls: Viva Forever!

I recently watched the closing ceremony of the Olympics in London (I missed the thing entirely!) and felt a wave of nostalgia wash over me when I saw the Spice Girls perform their most popular songs. 

I am a Spice Girls baby. I loved the Spice Girls the first time I saw the "Wannabe" music video and the rest was a history filled with their albums being played on loop in our car on the way to school every morning. I embraced the crazy outfits, the sky high platform shoes, Scary's tongue ring, Sporty's back handspring, the different personas, I loved it all. I sang their songs constantly (I only found out later on that "2 become 1" was a really sexy song! I sang that song without knowing what it was about!) and memorized the dance from their "Stop" video. Oh, and I remember watching the Spice World movie with my siblings when it came out.

Who didn't love these girls, honestly?












Back then, my favorite Spice Girl was Baby because she was cute and girly and the youngest. And for a little kid like me, she was probably the most accessible because of that. But now, years later, I find myself favoring the one I didn't care most about when I was a child: Posh. The reason why I favor her now might have something to do with the fact that he's married to David Beckham and that they have a successful marriage by Hollywood standards, but I also like her because she managed to make something of herself after her days of being a Spice Girl  wrapped up. She probably didn't want to rest on her laurels and live the rest of her days being known as a person that she was for only a small period of time, which is admirable, I think.

But I'm getting off tangent here. The Spice Girls! Watching them perform again after their break up  over a decade ago and a brief reunion in 2007 was something that made me feel like I was a little kid again. It even prompted me to look for their old albums so I can play them back whenever I wanted. I was pleasantly surprised to find out that I could still sing along to "Wannabe" and "Spice World" and was pleased that the girls looked better than ever. Is it weird that I'm happy for a group of strangers?

It's nice to know that even though the years have brought on so many changes since they hung up their clogs, their music still causes 20-something people like me to feel the giddy excitement we used to feel years ago. That goes for any musician who've made an impact in the music world, really.

Long live the Spice Girls! They will forever have a place in my beating 90's pop loving heart.

Rain, Rain, Go Away

It's the middle of the night and the rain still hasn't let up. It's been days and it's raining like there's no tomorrow. For some, it seems like there really is no tomorrow. For some, tomorrow is gone. According to news reports, many people have died because of these torrential rains and the consequent floods. The worst part about it is that it's still happening. It's still raining, and there's nothing man can do to stop it.

It's frustrating to know that whenever the view of the outside shows a slight bit of peace, a fresh wave of rain is just tailing behind to add more to the chaos. One literally feels powerless against nature, especially if you're the one grappling with it firsthand.

I wish the rains would stop. I wish the floods would stop rising. I wish that the reports about homes being washed away, about people getting stranded, about people drowning would stop being true.

Whoever is reading this, if this gets read at all, please pray for the rains to stop. Please pray for the safety of the people who have become victims of something infinitely bigger than any of us. It might not be much for some of you, praying, but in times of crisis it could be the only thing that saves.

Perfect for a Rainy Day

The rainy season has made a comeback in this side of the world. And while citizens from the Americas are still soaking up the sun in their little bikinis, we're trudging through rain soaked (or flooded) streets to get to work or school. I think all of us are hoping that the storms that are about to pass through are nothing like Typhoon Ondoy. That's an experience we'd rather be without.

But let's not dwell on the dreary aspects of the rainy season. Rain clouds are dreary enough for all of us. Instead, let's talk about something that I find cheers everybody up whenever it's brought up: food!

Rainy days usually remind me of one thing: Champorado. Watching the heavy downpour from the window and hearing the quick rush of the wind through the trees always makes me think of how rainy days were back where I grew up. It's grown to be my kind of comfort food. It's the food I can't help remembering during cold days when the sky is grey and there's nothing else to do but wait for the rain to pass.

Champorado, according to the not-all-that-reliable Wikipedia, is a chocolate rice porridge. It's warm, it's chocolatey, it's gooey, and it's delicious. With a dash of milk and a teaspoon of sugar mixed in, my taste buds are ready to rock and roll.

Best eaten with Tuyo, in my opinion. There's something about the contrasting flavors of the sweet chocolate and the salty dried fish that just seem to go together, I really can't explain it. I have a special way of eating this combo, too. Developed through years of practice, of course. A lot of people have their own methods of partaking of this delectable treat, but I think mine is the best. And it comes in three easy steps!

Step 1. Scrape off the scales of the Tuyo and pick apart into little bits.

Step 2. Drop the little pieces into the Champorado.

Step 3. Mix the Champorado and watch the little pieces disappear. 

And eat! The eating becomes more exciting because you never really know if you've gotten a bite of Tuyo until you've tasted the salty surprise. Awesome, right? 

Champorado is awesome all on its own, but what makes it such an amazing snack for me is the warm, fuzzy feeling it brings with every bowl. 

How about you? What's your favorite comfort food?

Q&A a day

One of my better impulse buys, I think. Fully Booked is proving to be one of those dangerous places for the wallet. Well, at least for me.

Anyway, I bought this Q&A a day 5-year journal today and I'd like to think it was destiny, me finding this little treasure of a journal, because I knew I wanted it the moment my eyes clapped onto it. This journal can be completely filled up in a span of 5 years. How, you might ask? Each day features a unique question that you can answer. There are five blank spaces where you can write your answers for that particular question. Five blank spaces for one question a year. Bam! A 5-year journal.

It's an amazing concept, really. You can literally see the changes in the way you think or react by the answers you write. Just imagine, as the years go by, you can see how your answer to the same question transforms (or not) from one year to the next. Pretty cool, huh? I'm a healthy mix of excitement and apprehension over the questions that could be asked. I'm trying not to look at the questions so I can answer them truthfully on the proper day. Yes, I'm taking this seriously.

Check it out and see if it intrigues you as it did me. :)

How I'd Live If I Lived Alone

I've never had an opportunity to truly live by myself. My parents have made living at home far too comfortable that I never really had a need to live away from home for more than weeks at a time. The only time I did live away from home was during college and I was under the eyes of my mother's sister, who lived near my school. I take that back, my sister and I lived at my aunt's so I don't think that counts as "living alone" since I was with my sister. But anyway, sister or no sister, those years were fun. It was in those years of living with my aunt for most of my schooling that I felt the freedom of being able to go out and not have someone asking what time I'd be home and of being able to do some things the way I wanted to. I guess that's why I always seem to be thinking about living alone. I miss that little freedom that I felt when I went to college. I figured, if I felt that way under adult supervision, how much more if I really was living all by myself? So here are the things I imagine I'd be doing if I lived alone. Cue harp music, blur, pan up to the heavens…and go.


I’d be a great cook. Here's the scenario. I have a few friends over in my apartment for a semi-regular movie night. While they're poring over a movie, I'd be in my little kitchen cooking up something delicious that they'd all be raving about once they've tasted the first bite. Beyond the semi-regular movie night, I'd be cooking meals for myself and for anyone who visits me and I would love it. I'd cook bacon and eggs and French toast for breakfast, and learn how to make lasagna (my childhood favorite) and sinigang and kare-kare, and practice baking cookies and brownies and pies for dessert. I'd have a growing collection of recipes and though it would be a struggle to learn how to cook by myself, I'd be surprised and delighted to find that I am actually succeeding. But if that doesn't happen, I could always live on instant pancit canton and Ramen noodles. Oh, and Ma Ling. 

My dinner guests will be like Dora's backpack. 

Omnomnomnomnom. Delicioso!

I'd sit in the living room with utility bills and a calculator. Because I'm not good at math, I'll probably be spending an hour or two of my weekend figuring out how to adjust my budget to accommodate the rent, food, electricity, water, internet, and all kinds of bills. I'd also contemplate on getting a part-time job so I could afford to buy stuff that I want, like shoes or the occasional electronic device and plane tickets.

I would definitely be making emergency runs to the grocery because I keep forgetting to keep track of the food in the fridge. Or the toilet paper. Or shampoo when shampoo bubbles just won't do (putting water in the bottle more than twice will only yield slightly soapy water, I know that for a fact!) and other important items in a home that one absolutely cannot live without. These grocery runs will happen regularly because I have yet to master the art of inventory.

I'd be scared out of my wits due to the fact that I am living alone. There will be nights when I will suddenly realize that I am a sitting duck, completely vulnerable to dangers both internal and external. I will worry about robbers, rapists, murderers, swindlers, ghosts, bangungot, accidents, and other situations that cannot be dealt with alone. What if I choke on my own deliciously baked lasagna/pancit canton? Can you do a Heimlich maneuver on yourself? To somehow make me feel like I've found a remedy to this problem, I'd probably buy myself a cute puppy to act as my playmate/companion/guard puppy.

Hello, emo puppy. Would you like to live with me? 

I'd prefer the apartment to be like the homes of the Koreans I see on TV, where everything is near the floor which, more often than not, is spic and span. I'd keep a tiny broom and dustpan handy to keep my space as tidy as I can. Wait, who am I kidding here? I live in creative chaos. Rewind. I'd keep a tiny broom and dustpan handy so I can keep the space from being too...unruly. I'd also have a desk where my laptop and all other hobby things are stationed. The closet, however, is an entirely different story.

I'd ask someone carry a spare key on their person at all times in case of emergencies. Someone I know who would be there if I found myself locked out of my own place. Probably my sister because it's impossible for me not to even consider her. If I had a boyfriend, I'd probably ask him to do that, too. The bottom line is that there will be times when I will be locked out of my own home even though I know that that's a stupid thing to do. I need people to look beyond the stupidity and just help me out when I need it.

I'd keep beer in the fridge. You never know when you'll need 'em, really. In good times or in bad, there's always a reason to chug down a chilly can of beer. YES.

Golden gift from God! Get in my belly! 

I'd probably walk around in my underwear. Because I can. I don't need to explain myself further. My place, my rules. Walang basagan ng trip, k?

I'd dream about the things I’d decorate my place with. There are already pictures of bookcases, chairs, utensils, hammocks, and desks that I've reblogged in my Tumblr account for future reference. At the rate I'm going, my apartment will probably be filled with objects and furniture that are unique and interesting on their own but have absolutely nothing to do with each other. I imagine that it will be an eclectic mix of cute little trinkets and I'd be perfectly happy with them. 

I'd be sad and miss the feeling of being comfortable at home where everything is free and everyone is familiar. But I will remember that there is a different kind of free that I yearn for and that will make me feel better until the next time I miss everything all over again.

Every family is a little messed up in one way or another. 

But they're still family. 

All of the things I mentioned are rather...idealistic, so I don't really expect that living on my own will turn out the way I'd just described it. I probably sound like a teenager, don't I? Gushing about living on my own when some people would much rather live with their families. Most people probably think that I don't need to live away from home to be able to do some of the things I just described. And they're right, I don't have to. I guess the defining factor between doing these things at home and away from home is that I'd be dealing with everything by myself, and that I have no choice but to deal with things by myself. That thought alone is daunting, especially for a bunso like me who's always had kuyas and an ate to call when things got tough. But there's no harm in imagining a life where I'm self sufficient and strong, right? There's really no harm in day dreaming.

How To Induce a Quarter Life Crisis*

Step 1.

Log in to Facebook or any social media site that allows a person to present chosen aspects of their lives to the world.

Step 2.

Scroll through all the updates your Facebook friends post. Notice one long lost Facebook-friend -you've-never-contacted-before's photos showing him or her delivering babies or climbing the top of the country's highest mountain or posing in front of the Eiffel Tower.

Step 3.

Be amazed at what he or she has accomplished. Proceed to look through his or her Facebook timeline and photo albums. Kids nowadays call this “stalking.”

Step 4.

Take eyes of your computer monitor and look around you. Take in the contrast between your life and his or her life. Feel the insecurity creep in.

Step 5.

Start to panic and question what you've been doing for the past few years since you've been out of college. You've been to college! What are you doing with your life?! Why are you not delivering babies (or having babies, even!) or climbing a mountain or posing in front of the Eiffel Tower?! You could do all of that, why aren't you?!

PHOTO TAKEN FROM HERE. 

Step 6.

Begin to feel sorry for yourself and your lack of success and cluelessness about where you're going in life. Start to forget about all the things you have accomplished. Start hating your house, your relationships, your stifling work cubicle, your lame-ass future travel plans because you know that these will never amount to anything compared to what they have. Whoever they are. 

Step 7.

Mope for a few days. Start thinking about what you want to do differently and vow to make changes in your life from this day onwards. Or get distracted by life’s other problems (like work, rent, utility bills, groceries, family, your Tumblr addiction, the list goes on and on…) until the next panic-inducing Facebook visit.

Step 8.

Repeat Steps 1 through 7. 

*Quarter Life Crisis may be induced through other means as well, such as meditation, reflection and living through daily activities that do not satisfy you personally or professionally.